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#BAM-01 Qing Dynasty Xiang-Fe Bamboo Cabinet Made of Complex Latticework
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This is a pretty incredible large size antique Chinese bamboo cabinet made of rare Xiang-Fe Bamboo (香妃竹 or 湘妃竹) with the natural varying dark spots on the bamboo like that of tears from the famous beauties. Although there are re-produced bamboo furniture pieces available, few authentic antique Chinese bamboo furniture pieces survived the time. This 19th century cabinet, though is missing some of its geometric shape designs, like the round circle at the upper open space, is exceptionally constructed with complex lattice style work with knotted ties as well as bamboo pegs, fitted, and bent joinery. It is overall in good condition without replacements. We do have a couple of the original parts for the geometric shapes that we still need to attach to the piece. In the close-up photos, one really can see how beautiful the aged patina of the bamboo, the beautiful tear drops on the surface, as well as the sophisticated knotting used. The word of “Xiang” can both mean “fragrant, 香” or “Hunan province, 湘” where this bamboo was/ is grown along with some other areas in China. Unlike southern Chinese bamboo furniture pieces which were made of other types of bamboo grown in the tropical and sub-tropical climate, furniture made of Xiang-Fe-Zhu bamboo (Zhu, bamboo, 竹) supposedly will not rot. Also, because bamboo furniture in general comes apart and gets loose easier than wooden furniture, for every several thousand pieces of antique Chinese wooden furniture pieces found, there might only be one or a few pieces of antique Chinese bamboo furniture pieces can be found, not to mention the antique bamboo furniture pieces made of this specialty bamboo with natural tear drop like design.
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#BAM-02 A Rare Early Bamboo Square Table with Fine Huali Hardwood Top & Drawer Face
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（蘇式帶花梨板四方竹桌）This graceful bamboo table with a literati style flavor is fitted with a refine Huali hardwood （花梨木）on the top and on the drawer faces as well. Geographically, it might have come from Suzhou （蘇州）or nearby area. This table is interesting, not only because we rarely see an old Chinese table constructed with both bamboo and hardwood as its primary materials, but also because of its unusual design. Essentially, one can say it's a wooden table, using bamboo for all its supporting parts, or one may say it's a bamboo table, composed of a bamboo body or frame with a wooden cover on the top. Of the latter, this table has the same construction as some of the early old Chinese wooden tables with a wooden frame composed underneath a wooden table top. In the construction of these earlier tables made of wood, the bottom frame still holds itself as a secured unit out of its special internal tongue-and-grooved （榫頭）joinery with its specially designed outer parts that cohesively inter-connect with each other and hold the connecting internal joinery. This whole structure of “locking” system is unique to the older Chinese furniture pieces as it's the soul and the base its aesthetics develops from. Although the bamboo furniture can be constructed with parts connected differently from the wooden furniture pieces, but the concept is the same. The “Huali” hardwood on this table has a very refine grain and texture. So, it might be of a special variety. In Chinese terms, “Huali，花梨木”, “Hong-Mu，紅木”, and “Rosewood，玫瑰木”are among ones that hold a variety of variation in the wood itself and are often used for either a specific type of hardwood or as a general term for a specific group of hardwood. Worth noting is the design of the double bamboo stretchers and supports above the drawers and underneath the table top. Not only does this design give the table the additional support for the weight of the table top, but it also brings the height of the drawers to a more delicate proportion that matches the flavor of the table. The dimensions of the table are not available at the time of writing, but this table is likely to be around 30ish inches in width and depth.
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#BAM-20 Antique Bamboo Bird Cage Carved with Calligraphy Poem
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This old bamboo bird cage has the kind of wonderful natural old patina that is unique to the bamboo material. The calligraphy poem is carved in two phrases and reads from the right to the left with the right phrase describing a mountain scene (from a viewer's eye) with a bird singing in a hanging cage possibly in the spring or summer time when all is green and blossoming. The left phrase describes a water scene with green water rippling through while the fish swims and jumps in the waves. Chinese couplets are often created with one full phrase corresponding to the other one, and often word to word or partial phrase to partial phrase, in meaning. This bird cage is fitted with one antique poly-chrome porcelain feeder as well as two blue-and-white porcelain feeders from the 17-18th century.
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#HAR-01 Set of Five Panels 17th Century Huanghuali Tall Screens
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HUA-01 This special set of old Chinese Huanghuali tall screens （明式黃花梨兩面透雕高隔屏五扇）is very special because of its size and its design. Unlike most of other Huanghuali screens that often are elaborately and ornately carved, this set of screen displays an unusual elegance with cultivated literati taste. The original set probably contains many more panels as a room divider. We are happy that the remaining set here contains both of the end panels on the right and the left to form a smaller set. This set of screens, though has some repairs and replacements, is largely made of superior quality Huanghuali wood with its deep red color and dark grain, cut from the center of the tree, that the grain is very visible. It still retains its original natural patina of the beautiful wood without additional finish. Its dimensions are 110 3/8” W x 129” H x 1 1/8” D for the five panels together. Because these screens are so tall, yet so thin, I suspect that the original set of the screens might have been used as a room divider connected on the two sides to the building or the room because it would not have stood well on its own with such dimensions as a free-standing screen set or that it could easily be knocked down if not careful, and obviously the maker of the screens, with such elaborate length and quality of the precious wood, did not make the screens to not function well for its purpose. Also, the carvings on these screens are carved exactly the same on the front and the back, which further confirms its usage as a room divider. Further more, the carvings are in the open work design. The owner of theses screens obviously did not mind the waste of this precious wood when carved in an open work design, rather, was after its artistic result. Detail photos below show the refine and tasteful execution of the carvings. What kind of building or room will use screens like these? Who was the owner of this room or building with such taste? With its carved motifs and design, one might be able to guess where this set of the screens might have originally belonged to. Chinese furniture peaked during the mid and the late Ming period mostly for its literati flavor and superior construction and design. Many scholars and alike took pride in owning tasteful furniture pieces. One can find this trend in many Ming and early Qing paintings with vivid details spent on furniture pieces. One specially finds lots of examples of furniture pieces through Chinese architectural woodwork. It totally makes sense as the furniture is the companion of a living space and that one often is driven with creativity in a beautiful and harmonious environment.
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#HAR-04 (HHL) Early Qing Antique Square Tall Table Made of Exotic Huanghuali Hardwood
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This simple early Qing antique square tall table made of exotic Huanghuali hardwood is a beautiful one. Although the design seems simple and plain, its unique proportions with the much higher legs and relatively smaller top for the size of the table gives this table an unique and unusual appearance, one that conveys a sense of refine and quiet beauty in a non pervasive way. The unaltered, unfinished surface of the wood with its original patina developed through time fits perfectly with the character of this table. The four legs show slightly worn and faded colors at the bottom of the feet as they should be. The top of the table is unusually constructed with a double floating- paneled frame, inserted with a sheet of original old burl wood which has an old crack running through. Chinese Ming and early Qing furniture pieces separate themselves from other ordinary ones for their timeless, simple, yet unspoken sophisticated design, may it be subtle. Dimensions: 30 5/8”W x 30 5/8”D x 32 ½”H
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